I Follow
by mangyhalfbreed
Summary: Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin's final moments.


"Tonks," said Ginny, "Tonks, I'm sure Remus' okay—"

Nymphadora didn't allow Ginny to finish. She turned heel and practically flew after Aberforth. "The giants are overcoming the soldiers! There's no time to worry about the werewolf now! We have no time to spend dawdling, you fools!" He yelled over his shoulder. But once Tonks caught up with him, she seized him by the front of his robes and shook him with all of her might. His eyes were wide by the sudden physical strength.

"You tell me where you saw him! D'you fucking hear me? You tell me, _now!_ Where was Remus dueling? _Where?_" Nymphadora snarled, her hair burst into a wild mane of crimson.

"T-the Transfiguration corridor! Merlin's Beard, girl, get a grip! The Weasley girl's probably right, I reckon. He can take care of himsel-..." His words died in his throat as Tonks once again turned and fled - leaving Aberforth in the dust.

_Remus, Remus, Remus..._ His name swirled inside of her head like a broken record as Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin ran faster than she ever had in her young life - as if Hell itself was nipping at her heels. It was a complete blur. Dodging Death Eaters and trying her best to help the students, she prayed for her husband. Her lungs burned in her chest._ Please, not him. I'll do anything... Just not him. Not him,_ she thought. She finally reached the crumbling corridor and spotted a figure leaning against the wall and breathing heavily.

"Remus!" Tonks screamed at the top of her lungs, breaking out into a dead sprint. _"REMUS!"_ She cried again and she literally threw herself at him - Remus responding with his arms wrapping around her so tightly that she could barely breathe.

"Nymphadora," Moony sighed deeply - overcome by such relief at the sight of his wife that he felt unable to form a coherent sentence. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He suddenly broke away to examine her, blue eyes calculating.

"I- I'm fine. This is nothing!" she tried to enthuse but the normal spark in her eyes wasn't there. "Merlin, Remus, when we got separated-... I thought you were-... I didn't know if you were-..." Hot tears were streaming down her cheeks and she didn't even notice it. And Moony could only offer her a small smile as he pressed a kiss into her hair, her scent refreshing amidst this chaos.

"I'm alive, darling. I'm alive. We_ both_ are," he released her and gave a brief squeeze to her hand as he started pulling her along in a haste. "Come, we haven't much time. We need to go and secure the-"

_"Sectumsempra!"_ A male voice bellowed. And a barely audible gasp escaped Tonks' lips as a wound tore open from just below her neck that spread across her chest and ended at her ribs. Remus was forced to drop her hand in shock - not able to completely register that which had just occurred. His face became sprayed with her warm blood in the process.

Tonks' eyes were wide and the color had already begun to drain from her complexion. She crumpled to the floor, lying on her back while the blood soaked through her robes and pooled around her. And all Remus could do was stand and watch this occur in, what his mind produced it as, slow motion. For a moment he could hear nothing but a low buzzing in his ears.

And then the floodgate opened. Moony practically howled in the utmost of rage, his eyes flashing that familiar golden as he rounded on Antonin Dolohov, who also appeared to be wounded. Earlier, he'd been dueling with Dolohov in the Great Hall and the bastard barely escaped with his life. Now it became clear that he was hiding, merely waiting to make his move. _"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_ Remus roared ferociously. The bolt of green light hit him smack dab in the chest - and in the next instant, Dolohov keeled over, dead.

The werewolf dropped to his knees and hauled Tonks into his arms, cradling her in a protective embrace. She began to tremble violently, almost thrashing in his grip. He could hold it in no longer and harsh sobs began to rack his lean frame. This was dark magic. A healing spell of this magnitude was difficult for him - especially with Curses whizzing past his head in all directions. "C'mon love, let's get you up so- I can't heal you here in the corridor-Dora, please. Please, we need to move you," he slurred throughout his tears. She was losing too much blood.. she was-... Oh, she was _dying!_ She was dying in his arms! "Dora," he choked, "Oh, Nymphadora!_ I'm so sorry!_ My darling,_ I'm sorry!_" He cried, his hands trembling. It was all his fault - why, why hadn't he finished Dolohov off when he had the chance? _No. No, Merlin, sweet merciful God, not her. Take me. No, she's so young! She's so young! She hasn't even lived! No, take me instead of her!_

From underneath him, her face was pressed into his jumper. Tonks smiled softly and took in a deep inhale. He smelled of herbs and fresh parchment. She finally mustered the strength to look up at him. "Remus... Listen to me, now," Her voice was so hushed that had he not a heightened sense of hearing, it wouldn't have reached him. "Remus, you gave me everything I ever wanted.. I don't regret it... None of it._ I love you._ I do. I love you... I love you and I love our son... Our son... _Our boy._.."

"Dora, no. _Please_, love...! Please, my sweet girl. I need you... I need you with me!" He pulled back and gave her a slight shake. "You haven't given up on anything in your life, damn it! _Never!_ I was so determined to push you away because I was and still am too old, too poor, too dangerous for you, but you wouldn't let that deter you! You kept after me until my love for you was so strong that I had no choice but to let you in! You never gave up then - and you will _NOT_ give up now, Nymphadora!" His eyes burned with fierce determination - voice hoarse.

Tonks slowly took hold of Remus' hand, winding her pale, slender fingers through his. "How many times-... must I tell you-..." and she was smiling, she was smiling, for Godric's sake, "_don't_ call me 'Nymphadora,' Remus..." And then her hair morphed into the darkest shade of ebony. Remus stared into her eyes which were now unseeing, and the smile on her face had faltered some.

She was gone.

And Remus' world shattered around him like shards of broken glass. Without her, there was nothing.

There was no color at all. This world was devoid of all happiness.

_This world was grey._

He crushed Tonks' body into his chest and buried his face into her neck. He had even dropped his wand in the process. His throat ached as he began screaming at the top of his lungs out of pure despair, fury, and helplessness. He didn't hear Bellatrix Lestrange's incantation of the Killing Curse and even if he had, Lupin wouldn't have moved.

His wife left this world.

And he followed her without any hesitation whatsoever.

**Hope you enjoyed it! This was my first attempt at fanfiction, period. :P**  
><strong>And, yes, I am perfectly aware that OFFICIALLY Antonin Dolohov killed Remus and Bellatrix Lestrange killed Tonks.<strong>

**But, again, this is FANficiton.**

**And this just just how I would've liked to see their deaths pan out.**

**(Not that I wanted them to die. I'll always harbor a small amount of hatred towards JK for killing BOTH of my favorite characters. xD)**


End file.
